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something-tofightfor · 1 year ago

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Smutsgiving Feast 2023: Honeybaked Ham - Nick Caldwel

Pairing: Nick Caldwel x Female Reader (It's Dangerous To Fall In Love pairing)

Word Count: 1,637

Rating: M-ish. The end's a little spicy.

Author's Note: I truly miss these two, but I definitely made myself sad writing this. This is the same pairing as It's Dangerous To Fall In Love, but takes place before that story begins.

Warnings: mentions of terminally ill parent.

Summary: The holiday has to be special, and you and Nick are determined to make it happen.

“We need to stop here.” He was nervous, even though he knew that there was no reason to be. “I wanted to do it before, but we need to be at my place early tomorrow, and they’re only open until like 6:30 today, so -”

“Nick.” Reaching over, you settled your hand on his arm. “Why do you sound like we’re about to walk into a battle?”

“Because we are.” He put the car into park, turning his head to look at you. “We need to bring a ham to Thanksgiving, and my dad loves Honeybaked Ham, so…” He watched your face fall, both eyes closing as you winced. “I know. I’m sorry. I just -”

“The parking lot is full.” You groaned, leaning forward in your seat. “Nick, there’s a line. Did you order ahead?”

“That’s what happens when you wait until the last minute.” He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “And I didn’t. So if you want me to wait in line by myself and go somewhere else, that’s fine. I -”

“Hell no.” Your frown turned into a grin, and you leaned over, planting a kiss on his stubbled cheek. “We’re going to go across the street to Jack In The Box and get those energy drink infused things or iced coffee, because if I’m waiting in that line, I need caffeine.” You kissed him again, mouth moving closer to his. “And then we are going to park this car in the middle of the landscaping if we have to and go stand in line and get your dad his ham.”

He felt a surge of affection for you, Nick’s head turning so that you weren’t kissing his cheek and he could instead press his lips to yours, your left hand rising to cradle the side of his face. “Thank you.” He mumbled the words, rubbing the tip of his nose against yours. “This means -”

“I know, Nick.” You kissed him again, nodding. “I know how important it is.”

—

Three hours later, you were back at your house, empty handed. You were on the phone in the living room while he was in the bedroom, laying on his back with a forearm over his eyes.

It hadn’t been a hard wait in line, but it had been a slow one, the two of you joining nearly a hundred others that had waited until the very last minute to pick up the final dish for dinner the following day. You hadn’t complained once, instead sipping at your drink and occasionally leaning over to whisper something into his ear.

The comments had started out simply, with observations about the others in line. But as more time passed and the woman behind you felt it was necessary to have a 35 minute conversation on speakerphone, your comments turned in a different direction.

“I think we deserve a reward for standing in this line.”

“After this we’ll have the rest of the night to do whatever we want.”

“We’ll have to stay off of our feet until tomorrow.”

He knew exactly what you were implying, and even though he agreed, a massive line in a public parking lot was not the place to act on it.

So he’d hummed with each comment as they became more suggestive, flashing you a smile and a wink and leaning closer to kiss your temple, but that was as far as he’d let it go.

… Until you’d brushed your hand against the front of his jeans when you moved to stand in front of him, stepping through the door at the same time you turned and looked back at him. His eyes were wide at the feel of your hand and when you winked at him, it took everything in him not to reach for you and pull you close right next to the condiment shelves.

But all the joking had ended a few minutes later when one of the employees announced that unless you had a preorder in, they were sold out. He’d frozen in disbelief, registering that you did the same next to him, though you swore audibly, your voice joining a chorus of others.

A short conversation with the obviously frazzled cashier hadn’t proven fruitful, either. Not only was their store out, but so was the shop across town. And so the entire drive back to your place, he’d stayed quiet, trying not to cry.

Any other year, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But after his father’s diagnosis, he’d made it his mission to fulfill as many of the man’s requests as possible. And a damn ham is about as simple as it could be, and …

“Nick?” You spoke quietly from the doorway, and when he removed his arm from his eyes, he saw that you were chewing on your lower lip, arms crossed almost defensively over your chest. “I just got off the phone with my mom.”

He pushed himself into a sitting position, eyes on your face. “And?” Sighing, you entered the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Nevermind. Forget I asked.”

“My aunt’s stopping over later tonight, and she’s giving us the ham she bought for her dinner.” He froze again, but that time it was in relief, Nick watching as your expression turned into a small smile. No way. “I explained to my mom what happened, and she immediately hung up to call my aunt.” Placing one hand on his knee, you nodded. “I’ve got no idea how big it’ll be because she only buys for the three of them, but -”

“It doesn’t matter.” Nick swallowed back a lump in his throat, shaking his head. “Fuck, are you serious? You’re not joking with me right now?”

“I wouldn’t. Not about this.” He saw that your eyes were glittering, and Nick reached up to thumb away an unshed tear. “So you can stop worrying. Everything’s taken care of for tomorrow.” He didn’t know what to say, and “thanks” didn’t seem to be enough. “I’ll give you a couple minutes. Meet me downstairs for dinner?”

You spoke again a minute or so later, moving to get up and off of the bed, but Nick didn’t let you. He encircled your wrist with his fingers, urging you to stay in place. “Don’t go.” There was still adrenaline coursing through his veins, but there was also a sense of calm and relief, right there alongside something else. “You said something earlier… about staying off of our feet?”

Nick dragged the tip of his tongue over his lip, his grip on your arm loosening and that hand sliding down to rest on your hip while he waited for your response. “I did.” He saw your shoulders droop before you replied, the relief you felt at his response apparent. “I also said we had the entire night to ourselves.”

He scooted back, opening up more space on the mattress and you followed, climbing in and curling your legs beneath your body. “I think I’ve got a few ideas about how we can spend it.” Arching a brow in question, he watched as you repositioned your shoulders, tipping your head to the side.

“I’d like to hear them.” Your chest was rising and falling a little more rapidly than was typical, and at the sight, Nick finally exhaled deeply, closing his eyes and widening his smile into a full-blown grin. It’s all going to be fine. “Or, even better yet?” You leaned closer, hands sliding up Nick’s legs and settling on his thighs. “You could show me.”

He moved as you were still speaking, Nick’s arms winding around your body to pull you close before the two of you collapsed against the mattress. Nick was flat on his back and you were sprawled out over his chest, surprised laughter tumbling from your lips. “I’d be happy to.” Murmuring the words, he leaned closer to kiss you, Nick catching your mouth mid-laugh.

You adjusted quickly, kissing him back and moving so that your angle was better, but Nick had plans for you. He used both hands to urge you to move - the message received and acted on without you breaking the kiss.

With a sigh, you swung your leg over his so that you could straddle his waist.The new position made it easier for you to get even closer, his hands moving up and down over your back while yours slid up the mattress, allowing you to settle your forearms on either side of his head.

It was you that rocked your hips forward the first time, Nick’s body responding in kind with an immediate upward thrust. But wait. Wait though, before… “Hey.” He backed off, taking a long breath and then saying your name. “Before we …” Nick licked his lips and made sure to meet your gaze, the man’s chest constricting at the look in your eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so -”

“You’re welcome.” It came out simply, and he was thankful that you weren’t downplaying his sentiment. She wouldn’t. You blinked down at him, wrinkling your nose. “I love you, Nick.”

“Love you more.” Lifting his head from the pillow, he kissed you again, though that one was gentler. So goddamn much more. You pulled away first that time, looking down at him without speaking. You were waiting for him - waiting on his confirmation that it was alright to return to the previous activity. And it’s more than alright. He hummed and moved his hands to your hips, his smile slipping into a smirk.

You moaned quietly when he rocked upward and against you, the evidence of just how much more than alright it really was pressed against your inner thigh. Nick swallowed the sound down, his grip on you tightening. I’m gonna make her make that noise all night.

—

#nick caldwel #nick caldwel x female reader #nick caldwel x reader #pedro pascal #pedro pascal character #it's dangerous to fall in love #idtfil #thanksgiving feast #turkey day 2023 #nick caldwel masterlist #pedro pascal masterlist #honeybaked ham #fire meet gasoline

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pwhl-mybeloved · 11 days ago

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The Professional Women’s Hockey League is officially preparing for expansion.

The league — with six franchises in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Minnesota, Boston and New York — will add up to two teams as early as the 2025-26 season.

League officials have not shared where they plan to send their request for proposals — which marks the first step in expansion — only that the league is looking for the right market size, fan base, facilities and economic opportunity.

“It’s about finding the best market, the best fan base and the best partners,” Jayna Hefford, the PWHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations told The Athletic after Tuesday’s announcement.

It’s still very early in the process, but here are our top eight potential PWHL expansion teams.

Pittsburgh

It’s fair to imagine Pittsburgh will be among the top contenders for expansion. The Penguins — backed by Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Penguins, the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. — have been staunch in their support for women’s hockey and desire for an expansion franchise.

The Penguins hosted a PWHL game at PPG Paints Arena last season with almost 9,000 fans in attendance — the ninth-most attended game in the regular season. A women’s team could play its home games at PPG or at an expanded Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, which is around 22 miles north of the team’s downtown arena.

The facility serves as the Penguins’ practice facility with two NHL-sized sheets of ice and land on which to build. Penguins president of business operations Kevin Acklin has suggested that a new third sheet of ice, with seating in line with modern arenas for NCAA Division I programs, could serve as a base of operations for a PWHL team. That would include offices for management and coaches, locker rooms, training and medical areas — essentially anything and everything a professional team would require, want and “deserve,” Acklin told The Athletic in January.

Games could also easily be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh – a regional sports network FSG acquired in 2023 – which already carried some PWHL games last season, even without a team based in Pittsburgh.

Detroit

The city affectionately known as “Hockeytown” would be a natural choice for an expansion franchise. Hefford basically said as much at the neutral site game hosted at Little Caesars Arena last season, which set a U.S. record for attendance at a women’s professional hockey game (13,736).

“It just seems like an obvious (spot) for a hockey market that we’d love to be a part of,” she said. “And although not in our Original Six, it’s somewhere that we still, I think, have our eyes on. And tonight has just been another proof point that this is a market that loves hockey and I think loves women’s hockey.”

Given the attendance at the game last season and the fight for a Division I women’s team at the University of Michigan, there is an appetite for women’s hockey in the state and a strong grassroots system, with programs like Little Caesars and HoneyBaked Hockey Club. According to USA Hockey, Michigan ranked fourth in female hockey registration last season only behind Minnesota, Massachusetts and New York – three states that already have PWHL franchises.

The biggest issue with Detroit is the venue. The Red Wings and the NBA’s Detroit Pistons are full-time occupants at LCA, which also hosts plenty of concerts and other events. USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., less than 30 miles outside of Detroit, is a potential alternative, but with a 3,500 capacity it would be on the small side.

PWHL fans can pack venues such as Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. But what’s the best size and scope for every game of the season? (Mark Blinch / Getty Images)

Washington, D.C.

Before the PWHL officially selected its original six markets, D.C., often came up as a potential landing spot, and it made a lot of sense. The Washington Capitals hosted two successful Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association events that served as the barnstorming precursor to the PWHL. Back in April, Monumental Sports & Entertainment majority owner Ted Leonsis told CNBC he wants to make D.C. “the capital of women’s professional sports.”

Like Pittsburgh, a Monumental-backed PWHL team would have broadcast infrastructure via the Monumental Sports Network. But, like Detroit, it could struggle to find an appropriate – or available – arena. Capital One Arena hosts the Capitals, the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the Georgetown men’s basketball team. The Capitals practice facility, where the PWHPA events were held, only has seating for around 1,200. Entertainment & Sports Arena – home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, which is also owned by Monumental – would be an upgrade in size with around 4,100 seats, but it’s unclear if the facility has the capacity to accommodate a hockey rink.

Chicago

If the PWHL wants to lead its first wave of expansion with a major American sports city, Chicago will be tough to beat.

It’s a strong grassroots hockey market, with several youth programs and a number of notable home-grown national team players including Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Cammi Granato, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Abbey Murphy – who could graduate from college and be the team’s first-ever draft pick. You have to admit, that would be very cool.

Not to sound like a broken record, but the venue will be the biggest hurdle when it comes to a city like Chicago.

The United Center is likely too big and too busy. Wintrust Arena, where the WNBA’s Chicago Sky play, is interesting with around 10,000 seats. But it’s largely a basketball venue. Could it facilitate a sheet of ice? That remains to be seen.

Allstate Arena, home to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, seems like an easy alternative. It’s around 20 miles from the downtown core in Rosemont, Ill., where Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is located. It’s a big venue (18,500), but shouldn’t be as hard to get in as the United Center.

It’s also worth noting the Minnesota Frost are the only team in the American Midwest; a Chicago expansion could fix that.

St. Louis

Speaking of Midwestern cities, St. Louis checks a lot of the boxes. It’s a dedicated hockey market – the Blues’ attendance figures have hovered around 18,000 for over a decade now – with strong girls youth hockey participation.

The Blues have invested in growing girls and women’s hockey in St. Louis, with learn-to-play programs and previously hosting PWHPA events. CEO Chris Zimmerman has also been open about the team’s desire to host a PWHL game in the city.

Figuring out facilities in St. Louis seems less complicated than some other destinations. The Blues are the primary tenant at the Enterprise Center and have a new $83 million practice rink just outside of the city, the Centene Community Ice Center. The facility is home to the NCAA DI Lindenwood hockey teams and has capacity for over 4,500 people – a fine size for a new franchise.

The Minnesota Frost are currently the only PWHL team in the American Midwest. Expansion to Chicago or St. Louis could add another. (David Berding / Getty Images)

Halifax

While the first five cities on this list have been in NHL markets, a potential NHL partnership is not a prerequisite. Neither is being in the United States, although there certainly seem to be more major U.S. markets than what might be possible in Canada. That being said, Halifax is an interesting prospect, especially if the league wants to consider markets outside of Ontario or the greater Toronto area.

Nova Scotia is a smaller province than Alberta, Manitoba or British Columbia but it is geographically closer to where the league currently operates, which is largely in Northeastern U.S. cities and Eastern Canada.

The Scotiabank Centre – home of the CHL’s Halifax Mooseheads – has a capacity of around 11,000 and will host Game 6 of the Canada-USA Rivalry Series in February. The arena also hosts pro lacrosse. Truthfully, it would be surprising if Halifax was the seventh PWHL franchise, but the Rivalry Series game could prove to be an critical audition for pro women’s hockey in the Maritimes.

Quebec City

On Wednesday, the PWHL officially announced Quebec City will host a neutral-site game between Montreal and Ottawa this season. City councillor Jackie Smith has already called the game the first step to landing an expansion franchise in Quebec City, according to the Associated Press.

Quebec City has an NHL-caliber rink – the 18,000-seat Vidéotron Centre where the neutral-site game will be played – that could host a full-time PWHL team with little to no scheduling issues.

Not to mention, the city is a hockey hotbed that hasn’t had a major professional hockey team since the Nordiques left in 1995. The Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins played in front of a packed building during this year’s NHL preseason. The Quebec Remparts, the city’s QMJHL team, are typically among the leaders in attendance across the CHL.

It’s easy to imagine the city embracing a PWHL team.

Western expansion

League officials have said they are not putting any guardrails on potential expansion franchises – meaning they aren’t shutting down expanding far outside its current footprint.

Calgary has had successful women’s professional sports franchises in the past – the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno won the last-ever Clarkson Cup in 2019. The Seattle Kraken hold the record for attendance at a U.S. women’s national team game on American soil (14,551). The Vancouver Canucks are a billion-dollar-franchise and British Columbia has become a hotbed for elite young talent, including Canadian phenom Chloe Primerano. There’s California to consider, too, where many of PWHL owner Mark Walter’s franchises – the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Sparks – are currently based.

There are places in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest that could and eventually should be home to PWHL franchises. However, adding a team on the other side of North America would come at a significant cost at a really early – and still growing – stage of the business.

Of course, it’s all going to depend on what is proposed. If, say, the Seattle Kraken are offering the kind of support and infrastructure we saw during the Rivalry Series, maybe the league won’t be able to say no.

#pwhl #pwhl expansion

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